Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt and Canadas minister Leona Aglukkaq. Photo: Martina Huber/Government Office
Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt hosts Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Kiruna
On 15 May, ministers and delegates from the eight Arctic states, representatives of the indigenous peoples in the Arctic region, researchers and observers will gather in Kiruna. The ministerial meeting will be attended by around 300 people and marks the end of the Swedish chairmanship and the start of the Canadian chairmanship of the Arctic Council.
- Press release: Arctic Council presents vision for future cooperation in the Arctic
- Information about the ministerial meeting on the Arctic Council website
- Carls Bildt's opening address at the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Kiruna 15 May 2013
- Article: Carl Bildt hosts Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Kiruna
- Article: Ministerial meeting in Kiruna concludes two intensive years as Chair of the Arctic Council
- Debate article by Carl Bildt: Northern Beacon
- Press release: Welcome to the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting
Carl Bildt and John F. Kerry. Photo: Catarina Axelsson/MFA
Carl Bildt receives US Secretary of State John F. Kerry
On Tuesday 14 May, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt will receive US Secretary of State John F. Kerry in Stockholm for talks. Current foreign policy issues will be discussed, including the disturbing developments in Syria, the possibility of creating new momentum in the Middle East peace process and the international community's future engagement in Afghanistan. Other topics on the agenda include developments in the EU with focus on the economic situation, the negotiations on a future free trade agreement between the EU and the US, and the Arctic, ahead of the ministerial meeting in Kiruna that begins today.
Cooperation between Finland and Sweden
On Friday afternoon, Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt and Finland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja took part in a workshop at the Finland Institute in Stockholm. The topic was the future shape of foreign and security policy for Nordic cooperation, and how deep this cooperation can really be for the two non-aligned Nordic countries.
Carl Bildt, Birgitta Ohlsson, Gunilla Carlsson, Ewa Björling and Anders Borg. Photo: Charlotta Ozaki Macias/MFA
Ministers' joint trip to expand Sweden-Africa relations
On 9-10 May, Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson, Minister for Trade Ewa Björling, Minister for Finance Anders Borg and Minister for EU Affairs Birgitta Ohlsson will be taking part in the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEF) in Cape Town. On 5-12 May, in connection with the WEF, some of the ministers will also visit Ethiopia, Nigeria, Angola and Zimbabwe.
- Article: Two ministers visit Nigeria - Sweden´s second largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa
- Article: 24-hour ministerial visit to `the Brussels of Africa´
- Article: Ministers' joint trip to expand Sweden-Africa relations
- Debate article: Positive developement in Africa is also good for Sweden
- Article: Focus on telecommunications in Angola
- Youtube: Speech at WEF by Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson
- Press release: Five ministers to take part in the World Economic Forum on Africa
The Nordic foreign ministers stepped ashore in Sandhamn on Thursday evening. Photo: Sara Keusen/MFA.
Bildt hosts Nordic foreign ministers meeting
The Nordic foreign ministers are meeting in Sandhamn in the Stockholm archipelago today. The meeting provides an opportunity for further discussions on Nordic cooperation, both in the UN and regarding ongoing Nordic participation in peacekeeping operations and Arctic issues.
Ewa Björling with some of this years Global Swedes. Photo: Magdalena Cabrera/MFA
Ewa Björling presented Global Swede student award
On Monday, Ewa Björling presented the Global Swede award to 24 foreign students who have chosen to study at Swedish higher education institutions. Global Swede is a joint initiative between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Swedish Institute aimed at encouraging the students to become involved in the Global Swede alumni network and, in the longer term, act as ambassadors for Sweden. These foreign students have all distinguished themselves in areas related to innovation and entrepreneurship.
Carl Bildt and Aung San Suu Kyi. Foto UD/Erik Zsiga
Carl Bildt's tour of Asia
Foreign Minister Carl Bildt's tour of Asia continued last weekend from Almaty in Kazakhstan to Ulan Bator in Mongolia, where he participated in the Community of Democracies' Ministerial Conference being held in the city.
Mr Bildt also presented an award at the meeting, when the Community of Democracies awarded the Geremek Award to Burmese champion of democracy Aung San Suu Kyi. The award is named after Poland's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bronislaw Geremek, and honours democracy activists working under difficult conditions.
Carl Bildt took part in ISAF meeting
Foreign ministers from NATO and the states participating in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) met in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss long-term support to Afghanistan. Sweden was represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt. Zalmai Rassoul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, also took part in the meeting. Mr Bildt highlighted three challenges in the coming year. The first and most important is to ensure that the presidential elections next year are conducted in a peaceful and fair way. The second challenge concerns the economy and cooperation in the region. The third involves the conditions necessary for a peace dialogue supported by all groups in Afghanistan.
Sweden taking part in NPT meeting on nuclear weapons in Geneva
Sweden is taking part in the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee within the framework of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT PrepCom) in Geneva on 22 April-3 May, ahead of the next NPT Review Conference in 2015. Since it was established in 1970, the NPT has been a cornerstone of international efforts on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. One main priority is implementing the overarching NPT Action Plan that was adopted in 2010. An important premise in Sweden's view is that nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation are mutually reinforcing and that the prospects for progress are best when there is a broad approach that includes both of these aspects.
HM King Carl XVI Gustaf, Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, Minister for the Environment Lena Ek and President of Croatia Ivo Josipovic. Photo: Tomislav Busljeta
Bildt addressed seminar on EU enlargement in the Balkans
On Wednesday 17 April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt participated in the conference "Further EU Enlargement in South Eastern Europe - the road ahead", in the capital of Croatia, Zagreb. The conference was jointly organised by the Croatian Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO) and the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.
